Exodus 18:2

Exo 18:2 Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back,

Ver. 2. After he had sent her back.] Because she was troublesome with her peevishness, and a hindrance to the good work in hand. {Exo 4:25-26} Sulla felix fuisset ni uxorem duxisset; Adrianus ni imperitasset; Moses, both.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It may seem that he sent her back for a time to her father for her impatience, lest she should be a let to his vocation, which was so dangerous, Exod. 4:25.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 2. After he had sent her back] Why Zipporah and her two sons returned to Midian, is not certainly known. From the transaction recorded Ex 4:20; Ex 4:24, it seems as if she had been alarmed at the danger to which the life of one of her sons had been exposed, and fearing worse evils, left her husband and returned to her father. It is however possible that Moses, foreseeing the troubles to which his wife and children were likely to be exposed had he taken them down to Egypt, sent them back to his father-in-law till it should please God to deliver his people.

Jethro, now finding that God had delivered them, and totally discomfited the Egyptians, their enemies, thought it proper to bring Zipporah and her sons to Moses, while he was in the vicinity of Horeb.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(2)After he had sent her back.—Heb., after her dismissal. The fact had not been previously stated, but is in harmony with the general narrative, which has been absolutely silent concerning Zipporah since Exo_4:26. Moses had sent Zipporah back to her own relations, either in anger, on account of the scene described in Exo_4:24-26, or simply that he might not be encumbered with wife and children during the dangers and troubles which he anticipated in Egypt. Jethro assumed that, as the main troubles were now over, he would be glad to have his wife and children restored to him.

(2) He does not simply judge—i.e., decide the particular question brought before him; but he takes the opportunity to educate and instruct the people in delivering his judgments—he “makes them know the statutes of God and His laws”—he expounds principles and teaches morality. Both reasons were clearly of great weight, and constituted strong arguments in favour of his practice.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2–4. In all probability an addition of the compiler, made for the purpose of harmonizing the statement in v. 5 that Moses’ sons (in the plural) and his wife were with Jethro, with Exo_2:15 (J) which mentions the birth of Gershom only, and Exo_4:25 (J) which implies that Moses had no other son, and with Exo_4:20 a, 24–26 (also J), where it is stated that Moses took Zipporah back with him to Egypt. The compiler removes the first of these difficulties by supplying the name of Moses’ younger son, and the second by the statement that Moses had ‘sent’ Zipporah ‘away,’ i.e. had sent her back to Midian at some time after the incident Exo_4:24-26.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses's wife,.... When he had heard of the above things, he determined to pay Moses a visit, and congratulate him on that account; and he took his daughter, the wife of Moses, along with him, to deliver her to her husband, to share with him in his cares and troubles; as to partake with him of his honours and dignity, so to bear part with him in his burdens, so far as she was capable of:

after he had sent her back: upon his call and mission to Egypt, he took his wife and children with him; but upon an affair which occurred in the inn by the way, he sent them back again to his father-in-law, where they had remained ever since, see Exo 4:24. Jarchi says this was done at meeting with Aaron his brother, Exo 4:27, and relates a conversation between them upon it. As that Aaron should say to him, who are these? to which he replied, this is my wife, I married her in Midian, and these are my sons: he further said to him, and where art thou carrying them? he replied, to Egypt; says he, by reason of those who are before there, we are in straits, and thou wilt add unto them; upon which he said to his wife, go back to thy father's house, and she took her sons and went thither. Kimchi (f) observes, that some render the words "after her gifts"; whose sense, according to Aben Ezra, is, after she had sent gifts to her husband; but others more probably interpret it of gifts sent by him to her to engage his father-in-law to let her come to him, as well as to prevail upon her to come; perhaps it may be better rendered, "after her messenger"; that is, either after the messenger sent to her by Moses, to acquaint her and her father of what had been done for him, or after the messenger she sent to him, to let him know that she intended shortly to be with him; though perhaps, after all, nearer to our version and others, it may be rendered, "after her dismissions" (g); the dismission or sending away of her and her sons, as before related; for this is by no means to be interpreted of a divorce of her; after which she was brought again to her husband; for there is no reason to believe that ever anything of that kind had passed, as some have thought (h): the plain case seems to be this, that Moses finding his family would be exposed to danger, or would be too great an incumbrance upon him in the discharge of his great work he had to do in Egypt, sent them back to his father-in-law until a fit opportunity should offer of their coming to him, as now did.

(f) Sepher Shorash. rad. "post dona vel donationes ejus"; so some in Vatablus and Drusius. (g) "post dimissiones ejus", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius. (h) Vid. Selden. Uxor. Hebr. p. 629.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Back, with her consent, when he was going to the court of Pharao. (Menochius) --- Since he had the vision of God, St. Epiphanius says, he lived in continence with her. (Hœr. 78.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

From the way to Egypt, upon the occasion mentioned Exo 4:24,25, and because he found by experience that she was likely to hinder him from, or discourage him in, the discharge of his great and dangerous office, and to give an ill example to the Israelites.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. After he had sent her back — See notes on Exo_4:24-26. The discrepancies which some interpreters find between this account and Moses’s return into Egypt narrated in Exo_4:18-26, are creations of their own fancy. Our historian has not given us all the details. The statement of Exo_4:20, that Moses took his wife and sons, and “returned to the land of Egypt,” is seen from the immediate context to mean that he started with them to return, and that they accompanied him until the incident which occurred by the way (Exo_18:24-26) served as an occasion for her returning with her sons to her father’s house. This simple and natural supposition solves all the difficulties, and is itself suggested by the record here given. The work and exposures of Moses in Egypt made it expedient that his wife and children return and abide in Midian until he should return home from Egypt at the head of his people. Another reasonable hypothesis is, that Moses took his wife and sons to Egypt, and that after the opposition to his mission became formidable, he secretly sent them back from Egypt to the home of Jethro.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

After he had sent her back. Literally "after her dismissal." It is curious that the fact of the dismissal had not been previously mentioned, yet is here assumed as known. Some commentators (as Knobel) find, in what is said of Zipporah, the trace of two distinct writers who give two contradictory narratives; but the difficulties and obscurities of the history are sufficiently intelligible, if we hear in mind

1. That Moses was addressing immediately those who knew the facts; and

2. That he was studious of brevity.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

אחר שלוחיה AFTER HIS HAVING SENT HER AWAY — When God said to him in Midian, (Exodus 4:19, 20) “Go, return to Egypt … and Moses took his wife and his sons etc…. and Aaron went forth towards him and met him at the Mount of God”, he (Aaron) said to him, “Who are these?” He answered him, “This is my wife whom I married in Midian and these are my children”. He, thereupon, asked him, “Whither are you taking them?” He replied, “To Egypt”. Where-upon he said to him, “We have cause to grieve over the former ones (the Israelites already there), and you propose to add to their number!” Moses therefore said to her, “Return to your father’s house” — she took her two sons and went away (Mekhilta).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

AFTER HE HAD SENT HER AWAY. Because Scripture had [previously] mentioned, And Moses took his wife and his sons… and he returned to the land of Egypt, it became necessary to state here that she was in her father’s house, as Moses had sent her there. It is possible that Scripture is stating that Jethro took [Zipporah, Moses’s wife], to return her to him although he had sent her away. Having heard all that G-d had done for Moses, he thought that it was now time for her to follow the king wherever he would go.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.